The Association of Descendants of the Warriors of Serbia 1912–1920, the oldest patriotic veterans’ organisation, founded under the name NARODNA ODBRANA (National Defence) by order of King Petar Karađorđević in 1908, continues the tradition of honouring our glorious ancestors, the warriors of Serbia’s wars of liberation and defence, and for decades has marked the day when, on 19 April 1867, the Turkish commander Ali Riza Pasha symbolically handed over to Prince Mihailo Obrenović the keys of the towns of Smederevo, Belgrade, Kladovo, Šabac and Užice.
Each year one of these towns hosts the ceremony. Belgrade was the host in 2022, and this year, 2023, the honour goes to the City of Smederevo.
On this occasion, this Friday, the delegations of the cities of Belgrade, Kladovo, Šabac, Ljubovija, Užice and Smederevo, as host, laid wreaths at the memorial by Karađorđe’s Mulberry Tree. On behalf of the City of Smederevo, the wreath was laid by the Deputy President of the City Assembly of Smederevo, Branče Stojanović, and Maja Ćirković, Member of the City Council responsible for culture, tourism and information.
The names of these towns are also inscribed on the monument to Prince Mihailo in Belgrade, in front of the National Museum on Trg Republike. This monument, just like Karađorđe’s Mulberry Tree in Smederevo, is a symbol of Serbia’s liberation from Ottoman rule.
